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Will the Kurds break free of Iraq?

Is the Kurdish dream of statehood about to become reality? With Iraq’s government in limbo, the Iraqi Kurdish president is suggesting his region would seek formal independence from the rest of the country. Kurds recently expanded their territory when Kurdish militias took over the disputed oil-rich city of Kirkuk after the Iraqi Army fled their posts ahead of ISIL’s advance. Vowing to keep Kirkuk, are the Kurds planning for outright statehood, or more influence inside Iraq? Joins us at 1930GMT.

Will the Kurds break free of Iraq?

The Stream discusses the possibility for an independent Kurdish state.

On June 12, Kurdish Peshmerga ("Those who confront death") forces took control of Kirkuk, an oil-rich city in northern Iraq. Two days prior, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) had launched an offensive in Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, forcing the Iraqi army to withdraw and leaving Kirkuk vulnerable. Amid the turmoil, and with lack of protection, Kurdish forces seized the opportunity to secure the city.

During a news conference, Kurdish President Massoud Barzani pointed to Article 140 under the Iraqi constitution, which was intended to resolve issues related to Kirkuk, a historically disputed city. Barzani referred to the dire economic situation in Iraq and the desire for Kurdish independence, saying "We waited for 10 years for Baghdad to solve Article 140."

The following Al Jazeera report outlines the Kurdish position on Kirkuk:

Iraq's Kurds rule out retreating from Kirkukaljazeeraenglish

On Thursday, President Barzani asked his parliament to prepare for a referendum on independence, potentially paving the way for the break-up of the country.

This image shows the territories the Kurdish Regional Government claims to be theirs:

news.nationalgeographic.com

The appropriation of Kirkuk prompted US Secretary of State John Kerry to meet with Kurdish leaders where he urged them to stand with the Iraqi government. Kerry, along with others in the international community, say they fear for the future of a stable Iraq if the Kurdish region becomes autonomous.

The Kurds are not alone in their fight for independence. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been vocal about his support for Kurdish sovereignty, though the Israeli foreign minister stated that the country had no intentions of helping the Kurds attain statehood.

Despite historically being opposed to Kurdish independence, Turkey has also come out in favor of the region's aspiration for autonomy. Trade between the two yields more than $8 billion a year, which is double the revenue gained in business between Turkey and all the remainder of Iraq.

The Kurdish region is heavily criticised by Baghdad and the US State Department for successfully exporting oil without approval from the Iraqi government.